Quick Answer
Livingston, NJ's best-known attraction is Riker Hill Art Park, a 42-acre former Cold War Nike missile base turned working artist colony with over 35 studios. The town also offers Becker Park (147 acres), the Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park (preserving real dinosaur track fossils), a walkable Livingston Town Center, and the two-story Livingston Mall. Livingston sits in Essex County, roughly 20 miles from New York City.
Livingston is one of Essex County's more affluent, established suburbs, and its list of things to do reflects a town that's invested seriously in both community space and culture — a former military missile base repurposed into a genuine artist colony, a park preserving actual dinosaur fossils, and a walkable town center that punches above its weight for a suburban downtown.
Whether you're local, visiting from a nearby Essex County town, or just curious about the Cold War history hiding inside a public park, here's a fact-checked, easy-to-scan guide to the best things to do in Livingston, NJ.
Livingston's median home values consistently rank among the higher end of Essex County, and that investment shows up directly in the town's public amenities — five separate playgrounds, two community pools, and a genuinely maintained park system that few suburbs of comparable size can match.
Riker Hill Art Park: From Missile Base to Artist Colony
Fast facts: 42 acres | originally a U.S. Army Nike missile-tracking base built in the 1950s | closed by the Army in 1974 and sold to Essex County for $1 | today houses 35+ working artist studios | home to three 20-foot stainless steel "Whale Tail" sculptures, donated by Livingston Mall in 1991
Few parks in New Jersey have a history quite like Riker Hill. During the Cold War, this hilltop site served as a Nike missile-tracking installation, part of the ring of air defense sites that once surrounded major American cities. When the Army closed the base in 1974, Essex County purchased the property for a symbolic one dollar and gradually transformed it into a working arts facility — glass blowing, ceramics, photography, jewelry, weaving, steel sculpting, painting, and woodworking studios now occupy buildings that once served an entirely different purpose.
The park's transformation from military installation to arts colony happened gradually over the following two decades. An early geology museum on the site closed due to budget constraints before the artist studio model took hold, and by the mid-1990s Riker Hill had grown into a fully comprehensive facility with 35 separate studios spanning nearly every craft discipline.
The park hosts recurring events including Jazz Under the Stars, Shakespeare in the Park, and a biannual arts open house when the resident artists open their studios to the public. Even outside of scheduled events, the grounds themselves — with their outdoor sculptures and walking paths — remain open and worth a visit.
Becker Park and Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park
Riker Hill connects directly to Becker Park, a 147-acre green space with Foulerton's Brook running through it, and to the Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park, a genuinely distinctive local feature that preserves real dinosaur track fossils on the grounds. Together, these three areas make up what's often called the Riker Hill Complex — one of the more unusual combinations of art, nature, and paleontology found in any New Jersey park system.
The dinosaur tracks at Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park date back roughly 200 million years to the Early Jurassic period, when this part of New Jersey sat within an ancient lake basin — a detail that makes the park a genuinely unusual stop for families interested in paleontology without needing to travel far from Essex County.
Livingston Town Center and Livingston Mall
Livingston's downtown commercial district, the Town Center, offers a walkable stretch of boutique shops, restaurants, and a local art gallery — home to spots like Thavma Mediterranean Grill and 16 Handles, alongside service businesses catering to the local community. For larger-scale shopping, the two-story Livingston Mall rounds out the town's retail options with a broad mix of national and regional stores.
The Town Center's mix of independent boutiques and service businesses — nail studios, a lash lounge, and specialty retailers alongside its restaurants — reflects Livingston's broader identity as an affluent, service-oriented suburb rather than a traditional industrial or commuter town.
Parks and Recreation in Livingston NJ
Beyond the Riker Hill Complex, Livingston maintains a genuinely deep bench of recreational facilities:
- Memorial Park — open green space and a town gazebo, a common site for community events.
- Okner Sports Complex — baseball diamonds, sand volleyball courts, soccer and lacrosse fields.
- Five playgrounds spread across the township, along with a skate park and tennis courts
- Two community pools, open during the warmer months.
- Cedar Ridge Trail in West Essex Park, for a quieter wooded walk.
Local tip: Livingston is home to five separate playgrounds — worth knowing if you're touring the area with young kids and want options closer to a specific neighborhood.
Culture and the Arts in Livingston NJ
Livingston's cultural life extends well beyond Riker Hill's resident artists. The Livingston Symphony Orchestra performs year-round, and the Livingston Community Players stage productions both locally and across the state. Combined with the Livingston Public Library's regular programs and workshops, the town supports a genuinely active arts and community calendar for a suburb of its size.
This layered cultural infrastructure — a resident artist colony, a full symphony orchestra, and an active community theater group, all within one township — is unusual for a suburb of Livingston's size, and reflects the same civic investment visible in its parks and recreation facilities.
Nearby Attractions: Eagle Rock and South Mountain Reservation
Livingston sits close to two of Essex County's largest and most significant parks. Eagle Rock Reservation, a 408-acre wooded tract, is well known for its panoramic overlook of the New York City skyline. South Mountain Reservation, Essex County's largest park, includes Hemlock Falls, a 25-foot waterfall, along with extensive hiking trails. Both are a short drive from Livingston and make natural add-ons to a fuller day exploring this part of Essex County.
Eagle Rock Reservation's overlook has also become a place of quiet significance beyond its scenic value — it hosts a memorial to Essex County residents lost on September 11, 2001, and remains one of the most visited vantage points in northern New Jersey for viewing the Manhattan skyline directly.
Getting To and Around Livingston, NJ
- By car: Livingston sits near I-280 and Route 10, making it roughly a 20–25 mile, 30–40 minute drive from New York City depending on traffic.
- By bus: Community Coach route #77 runs directly to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan with no transfers required — a genuinely useful backup option when train schedules or weather make driving less convenient.
- Getting around town: Livingston Town Center is walkable on its own, but reaching Riker Hill, Becker Park, and the township's other recreational facilities is easiest by car.
Livingston's lack of its own NJ Transit rail station is a notable gap for a town of its size and affluence, which is part of why the direct Community Coach bus service into Manhattan has become such a heavily used commuter option for residents.
Best Time to Visit Livingston, NJ
- Summer: Community pools are open, Riker Hill hosts Jazz Under the Stars and Shakespeare in the Park, and the biannual arts open house often falls during warmer months.
- Fall: Comfortable weather for walking Becker Park, the Cedar Ridge Trail, and the overlooks at nearby Eagle Rock Reservation.
- Winter: A quieter season, with Livingston Mall and the Town Center's indoor shops and restaurants carrying much of the town's activity.
- • Spring: A good middle ground, with outdoor recreation reopening in full ahead of summer's community pool season.
Because Riker Hill's biannual arts open house only happens twice a year, it's worth checking the specific dates ahead of time if seeing the working studios in full swing — rather than just the outdoor grounds — is the priority for your visit.
Start the Day Right: Coffee in Livingston
Whether you're heading to Riker Hill's studios or setting out for a walk through Becker Park, it helps to start with a genuinely good cup of coffee. Forum Coffee operates across nine active locations in New Jersey, including Livingston, all serving the brand's own USDA Certified Organic, fresh-roasted lineup. Crooked Column, Forum Coffee's signature organic house blend, is a dependable pick to start the day — balanced and easy to grab whether you're headed to an art studio or a soccer game at Okner Sports Complex. See our full guide to Forum Coffee's New Jersey locations, or browse the full coffee collection to bring a bag home.
With so much of a Livingston day spent outdoors — Riker Hill's grounds, Becker Park, Eagle Rock's overlook — starting with a coffee you can carry comfortably for the first hour or two of walking is worth the small extra planning.
A Sample One-Day Itinerary in Livingston
| Time | Stop | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Forum Coffee + Riker Hill Art Park | Coffee first, then a walk through the studios and outdoor sculptures |
| Midday | Becker Park + Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park | A picnic and a look at the preserved dinosaur track fossils |
| Afternoon | Livingston Town Center | Shopping and lunch at a walkable local spot |
| Evening | Eagle Rock Reservation | A scenic overlook of the New York City skyline at sunset |
Free Things to Do in Livingston NJ
- Walking the grounds and outdoor sculptures at Riker Hill Art Park.
- Exploring Becker Park and the Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park.
- Browsing the shops at Livingston Town Center.
- Programs and workshops at the Livingston Public Library.
- The overlook views at Eagle Rock Reservation.
Between Riker Hill's grounds, Becker Park, and the nearby Essex County reservations, a genuinely full day in Livingston is possible at no cost beyond gas — a good option if you're planning a broader multi-town Essex County trip on a budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1. What is Livingston, NJ known for?
Livingston is known for Riker Hill Art Park, a former Cold War Nike missile base turned artist colony, along with a walkable Town Center, the Livingston Mall, and its proximity to Eagle Rock and South Mountain Reservations.
Q 2. Is Riker Hill Art Park really a former military base?
Yes — it was a U.S. Army Nike missile-tracking site built in the 1950s, closed in 1974, and sold to Essex County for $1 before being redeveloped into a working artist colony.
Q 3. Is Livingston, NJ good for a family day out?
Yes — between Becker Park, the Walter Kidde Dinosaur Park, five playgrounds, and Okner Sports Complex, Livingston offers a genuinely broad range of family-friendly outdoor space.
Q 4. How far is Livingston, NJ from New York City?
Roughly 20–25 miles, or about 30–40 minutes by car. Community Coach bus route #77 also offers direct service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Q 5. Can I visit the artist studios at Riker Hill Art Park anytime?
The grounds and outdoor sculptures are always accessible, but the individual artist studios generally only open to the public during scheduled events like the biannual arts open house.
Q 6. Does Livingston have any golf courses?
Yes — Cedar Hill Country Club offers an 18-hole golf course along with tennis courts and swimming facilities, one of several recreational draws in the broader Livingston area.
The Last Sip
Livingston's best local spots reflect a town that's invested seriously in community space — a Cold War missile base turned working art colony, real dinosaur fossils preserved in a public park, and a walkable downtown with genuine local character.
Start your visit with a fresh cup at Forum Coffee, then work your way through the rest of this guide. For more Essex County day trips, see our guides to Bloomfield, NJ and Little Falls, NJ.